Get out of your slump

Posture can worsen as you age. Here are some ways you can

stand up to it. Slouching, slumping, and other types of poor posture can cause muscle tension, as well as back pain, joint pain, and reduced circulation. Poor posture can even lead to breathing issues and fatigue.

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Remember how your mom measured

your changing height with pencil

lines on a door frame? If you did that

now, the line from your maximum

height will likely have dropped an inch

or more.

People typically lose almost one-half

inch every 10 years after age 40 with

height loss becoming more rapid after

age 70. The main reason is Father Time.

“It’s natural for men to lose some

height with age, as over time the discs

in the spine wear down, causing them

to compress,”

Other factors can

contribute to a shrinking height, such

as osteoporosis, which can begin in

men around age 65 and decrease bone

density, especially in the spine.

But perhaps the leading contributor

is poor posture caused by weak and

inflexible muscles. “Weak muscles,

especially in the upper back, chest, and

core, encourage slumping, which tips

your body forward,”

“And inflexible muscles decrease range

of motion.”

The good news is that you can take

some simple steps to improve your

posture. The first is to adopt an allaround

strength training program. “A

personal trainer or physical therapist

can design an exercise routine that fits

your needs and addresses your specific

areas of muscular weakness,”

Next, do regular stretching. Yoga

and tai chi are ideal activities, as they

help strengthen posture-supporting

muscles and teach proper alignment

and body awareness, so you can feel

when your body is not in a healthy

position. You also can add specific

back, chest, and core stretches to

your regular workouts, or do them

periodically throughout the day—

especially after long periods sitting at

the computer, watching TV, or driving.

Here are four posture-supporting

stretches to get you started.

Shoulder blade squeeze

Sit up straight in a chair with your

hands resting on your thighs. Keep

your shoulders down and your chin

level. Slowly draw your shoulders back

and squeeze your shoulder blades

together. Hold for a count of five; relax.

Repeat three or four times.

Abdominal pull-in

Stand or sit. Inhale, then exhale slowly

to a count of five, pulling your lower

abdominal muscles up and in as if

moving your belly button toward your

backbone. Relax and breathe normally.

Repeat a few times.

Arm-across-chest stretch

Raise your right arm to shoulder level

before you and bend the arm at the

elbow, keeping the forearm parallel to

the floor. Grasp the right elbow with

your left hand and gently pull it across

your chest so that you feel a stretch in

the upper arm and shoulder on the

right side. Hold for 20 seconds; relax

both arms. Repeat to the other side. Do

three times on each side.

Wall slide

Stand against a wall so your tailbone,

shoulder blades, and head are pressed

Exercises like the arm-across-chest stretch

help strengthen posture-supporting muscles.

Check your posture

What does a healthy posture look

like? Here’s a test from the American

Physical Therapy Association. It can

help determine if you need to be

evaluated by a physical therapist.

1. Start by standing with your back

against the wall and your heels

about three inches from the wall.

?Place one hand flat against the back

of your neck, with the back of the

hand against the wall.

?Place your other hand against your

lower back, palm facing the wall.

?If you can move your hands forward

and backward more than an inch

or two, you may need to adjust your

posture.

Tips for a healthier posture

Many simple lifestyle choices can help improve your posture. For example:

1. Be mindful of your posture throughout the day, and realign yourself regularly.

2. To prevent muscle fatigue, avoid staying in one position for too long. Shift positions

or get up and move around every 30 minutes to an hour.

3. Have your vision checked. Poor eyesight can make you thrust your head forward to

read.

4 Move your TV closer to you. You may subconsciously lean in or hunch over if your

television screen is too far away.